Ford Focus (1998 - 2004) - 1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable

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Thu 27 Nov 2008 18:17
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - laydeeluffly
Took the car for its service, M.O.T and new exhaust today at Kwik-Fit and it has failed the M.O.T due to what they think is the handbrake cable, they told me that they did the M.O.T before the service which i thought was strange to start with but anyway being Kwik-Fit they cannot replace or repair this part, they just said that they think this is whats wrong, i was just wondering if anyone had any idea how much a new one would be? any help or info would be much appreciated..

Thanks

{small edit taken place to remove last sentence - DD}

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 27/11/2008 at 18:40

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Thu 27 Nov 2008 20:25
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - Galaxy
Don't you know a small local independent garage to go to? Ask friends and work colleages where they have their cars repaired and serviced.

You are much better off staying away from places like the one you have mentioned!



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Thu 27 Nov 2008 23:58
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - piston power
Kwik fit will strip your brakes down and inspect all the system, they will expect you to have ALL the work done not just the handbrake.

Were your indie will just do as required by you.

Kwik fit had a policy were if they found various faults you had to have all the work done they could not do half or bits but things may have changed.
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Fri 28 Nov 2008 09:39
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - laydeeluffly
Kwik Fit have said they cant do any of the work, but i have had my brakes done there before (they were all replaced this august.

i've got a quote for £60 - £70 for parts and labour from a local garage that a friends hubby recommended does that sound about right for this kind of job?
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Fri 28 Nov 2008 10:13
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - Galaxy
Yes, that sounds much more like it.

As a matter of interest are they going to replace the handbrake cable or just clean and adjust things up?

I don't know off the top of my head how much a Focus handbrake cable is, but I can't see it costing less than £35. I'm sure someone will come onto the forum and correct me! Of course, the local garage may well have determined that it doesn't actually need one.

If it's £60-£70 to supply and fit a new handbrake cable then I would say that's incredibly reasonable. It's still not bad for an adjust and clean up, which obviously involves a considerable more amount of labour.

Go to the local garage, you'll probably get a much better job done there, too!



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Fri 28 Nov 2008 11:10
1999 1.6 LX Auto - Handbrake Cable - Simon
I'm surprised no one has mentioned that things don't sound very professional here at all. For a start I thought Kwik-Fit advertised themselves as being brake specialists (amongst other things) but now these particular lot are saying that they can't do this repair.

Also if the car had new brakes all round in August at this same Kwik-Fit, now they have serviced the car too as well as failing it on the MOT for this brake problem, then surely they should be refunding some of the money paid out for both the brake work done in the summer and the obviously poor service that they have also just completed.

In my opinion if the car has had a proper service then it should fly through an MOT and at least be roadworthy but this has done neither. Very bad service from Kwik-Fit I reckon.
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